As a parent, you want to do what’s best for your teen son. If he’s suffering from substance abuse or a mental health disorder, you might feel afraid and lost about how to help him.
Residential treatment programs can provide your teen son with individualized services to help him heal and grow. If you’re considering this option, we know figuring it out can be overwhelming. To help you with this process, here are the important steps to take.
5 Steps to Sign Your Teen Son Up for Residential Treatment
1. Assess the Situation
If you’re not sure whether your teen son needs treatment, take some time to research warning signs of his behavior. See what experts and other parents say and compare it to your own situation.
Keep a log of his behavior and symptoms to see how long the warning signs persist. Determine the obstacles you’re facing so you’ll know what type of residential treatment to seek out.
2. Research Residential Treatment Facilities
If your son is currently seeing a medical professional, ask them for residential treatment recommendations or referrals. You can also get in touch with his school counselor, social worker or nurse and ask for suggestions.
When researching facilities online, here are some things to consider:
- What is their location?
- What is the physical environment like?
- What is the community like? What kind of staff do they have?
- What sort of disorders and behaviors do they treat?
- How does their programming work? Is it holistic?
- What are other parents saying about the treatment programs?
3. Begin the Process
After looking up some residential treatment programs, always give those facilities a call. Ask about their experience, the length of treatment, how the application process works and how payment is arranged. Share any concerns you have as well.
When you’re ready, begin the application process. You might want to do this sooner rather than later, as some places will have a waiting list. Apply to several places to keep your options open and reduce any wait time.
4. Talk With Your Teen Son
Here’s one of the hardest parts: starting the conversation. Find a safe, private space to talk with your teen son. Ask your support system to be there as well, such as caring relatives or school staff. Explain to him why you’d like him to seek out treatment and listen to how he feels.
Expect him to be resistant to the idea, but validate his feelings. Answer his questions and address his fears with empathy. If he gets angry, let him take space. This will most likely not be resolved in a single conversation.
Take your time informing him about the facilities you’ve researched. If you can, give him a choice of places so he feels involved in the decision-making process. Be firm about signing him up but also compassionate toward his feelings.
Does Your Teen Son Need Treatment? Call Lakeside Today & Learn Your Options
Deciding to seek out residential treatment for your teen son is never easy. At Lakeside, we’re here to help you figure out what’s best for your family. Our compassionate staff can answer all your questions and give you information about our treatment programs.
To learn more, call us at 844-768-8336 or send us a message.